Renting an apartment in Dubai: costs, Ejari and your rights (2026)

Renting in Dubai usually means a one-year lease paid by post-dated cheques, a refundable security deposit, an agent fee of around 5% of the annual rent and registration of the contract on Ejari with the Dubai Land Department. Rent increases at renewal are capped by the RERA rental index, the landlord must give 90 days’ notice of any change to the terms, and eviction at the end of a lease needs 12 months’ notice for a limited list of reasons. If something goes wrong, the Rental Disputes Center decides the case.

This guide walks through each part in plain language, with the actual fees from official pages where they exist, so you can budget properly and know where you stand.

How does renting work in Dubai?

Most homes are rented through a licensed real estate agent, though you will also find listings direct from landlords and from big developers. The usual process looks like this:

1. Search and view. Shortlist areas by commute and budget, then view in person or by video.
2. Make an offer. Rent, number of cheques and start date are all negotiable, especially for longer stays or fewer cheques.
3. Pay the holding amount. Many agents ask for the security deposit to reserve the unit. Get a receipt and make sure the unit is taken off the market.
4. Sign the tenancy contract. Dubai uses a standard unified tenancy contract. Any extra terms go in an addendum that both sides sign.
5. Hand over the cheques and agent fee.
6. Register Ejari. This makes the lease official.
7. Connect DEWA, cooling and internet, and move in.

What you need: passport copy, residence visa details, Emirates ID and, in most cases, a UAE bank account with a chequebook. If you are still waiting for your Emirates ID, read our tips on what to expect in the UAE and hold off on signing until it arrives.

How many cheques do you pay rent with?

Rent is normally paid for the whole year up front by post-dated cheques. Landlords often accept one, two, four or more cheques. Fewer cheques usually means a better price, because the landlord has more certainty. More cheques spread the cost but may come with a higher rent. Some developers and newer platforms accept monthly payments, but this is less common and often costs more.

Each cheque is a legal promise to pay, so only write cheques you know you can cover on their date. Keep a list of every cheque number, amount and date.

What does it cost to move into a rental?

The rent is only part of it. Gulf News puts together the usual extra costs, and the official fees come from the Dubai Land Department and DEWA.

The deposit and agent percentages are market practice, not fixed by law, so they can be negotiated. Always agree the agent fee in writing before you pay anything.

A worked example

Say you rent an unfurnished apartment for AED 90,000 a year on four cheques. Your first payment day looks roughly like this: AED 22,500 for the first cheque, AED 4,500 security deposit, AED 5,000 agent fee (the minimum), AED 177.75 for Ejari online and AED 2,000 DEWA deposit plus activation. That is a little over AED 34,000 before moving costs. On top of that, the housing fee adds AED 4,500 a year to your DEWA bills.

Use our DEWA bill calculator to estimate monthly utilities, and our guide on whether the cost of living is high in the UAE to see how rent fits into a wider budget.

What is Ejari and how do you register it?

Ejari is the Dubai Land Department system that registers tenancy contracts. A registered lease is your official proof of address. You need it to connect DEWA, to sponsor family members and to file a case at the Rental Disputes Center.

According to the Dubai Land Department, you can register through the Dubai REST app or website for AED 177.75, or at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre for AED 220. In the app, you upload a copy of the unified tenancy contract. At a Trustee Centre, you bring the original contract and your Emirates ID. Your landlord or the property manager may register it for you, so ask who is doing it and get the certificate.

Register again every time you renew. An expired Ejari can block other services.

How do DEWA and the housing fee work?

Once Ejari is registered, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) sends you a contract account number and the deposit amount by email and SMS. Bayut’s guide lists the current deposit as AED 2,000 for an apartment and AED 4,000 for a villa, with an activation fee of AED 100 or AED 300 depending on the meter size.

Your DEWA bill also carries the Dubai Municipality housing fee: 5% of the annual rent on your Ejari, split into 12 monthly parts. UAE nationals are exempt. If your rent changes, the fee changes with it.

How much can your landlord raise the rent?

Rent increases are controlled by Decree No. 43 of 2013 and the RERA rental index, which the Dubai Land Department runs. Since January 2025, the index has used a smart, building-level system that rates buildings and gives an average rent for similar units. You can check your own case with the official rental index calculator by entering your Ejari number or building details and your current rent.

The maximum increase at renewal depends on how far your current rent is below the average for similar homes:

For example, if similar flats average AED 120,000 and you pay AED 90,000, you are 25% below average, so the landlord can raise your rent by up to 10%, to AED 99,000. If you already pay close to the average, the landlord cannot increase it at all.

What notice is needed for renewals and increases?

Under Dubai’s tenancy law (Law No. 26 of 2007, as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008), either side who wants to change the terms of the lease at renewal, including the rent, must tell the other at least 90 days before the contract ends, unless the contract says otherwise. If the landlord misses that window, the increase generally has to wait for the next renewal.

If nobody gives notice, the lease usually renews on the same terms. Keep every notice in writing, and save emails and messages from your landlord or agent.

Can your landlord evict you?

During the lease, a landlord can only end it early for specific reasons set out in the law, such as unpaid rent. In that case the tenant is usually given 30 days to pay before the landlord can go further.

At the end of the lease, a landlord who wants the property back must give you 12 months’ notice, sent through a notary public or by registered mail. The accepted reasons are:

• The owner wants to demolish or rebuild the property
• The property needs renovation that cannot be done with you living there
• The owner or a first-degree relative wants to live in it
• The owner is selling the property

A WhatsApp message or a simple email saying “please leave” is not enough. If you receive notice, check the date, the method and the reason. When the notice is not valid, you can usually stay.

How do you get your security deposit back?

At the end of the lease, the deposit should come back minus the cost of any damage beyond normal wear and tear. To protect yourself:

• Take dated photos and video of every room when you move in and when you move out
• Sign a move-in and move-out inspection report
• Get a written handover or key return confirmation
• Keep your final DEWA and cooling clearance receipts

What does the Rental Disputes Center do?

The Rental Disputes Center (RDC) is the Dubai Land Department body that decides disputes between landlords and tenants, including unfair increases, eviction, repairs and deposits. You file online on the RDC website or at a Real Estate Services Trustee Centre.

Fees: for eviction, renewal or termination cases, 3.5% of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. For money claims, 3.5% of the amount claimed, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 15,000. Small extra fees apply, and Trustee Centres add a service fee.

What you need: your Ejari tenancy contract, Emirates ID, a bank letter or statement showing your IBAN, any notices and supporting evidence. Documents must be in Arabic or legally translated into Arabic.

Before filing, try to settle in writing. The RDC also offers an amicable settlement route. If you are disputing a rent increase, ask about the “offer and deposit” procedure, which lets you keep paying the rent you believe is correct while the case runs. Gulf News reports that RDC judgments on claims under AED 100,000 are final and cannot be appealed.

Quick tips before you sign

• Check the agent’s licence and the landlord’s ownership. Ask to see the title deed, or confirm the owner on the Dubai REST app.
• Read the addendum. Maintenance, parking, pets and early exit penalties usually sit there.
• Ask about cooling. “Chiller-free” can save you hundreds of dirhams a month in summer.
• Think about the commute. Use our nol fare calculator to compare Metro costs between areas.
• Thinking of buying instead? Our Dubai property fees calculator shows the upfront costs of a purchase.

New to the city? Our dos and don’ts in Dubai and list of useful mobile apps for Dubai will help you settle in faster.

Last checked: October 2026. Rules and fees in the UAE change; confirm on the official pages above before you rely on them.